The Taliban has published an angry tirade against the evils of Western balloons.

The extremists criticised an art project in Kabul, Afghanistan, in which 10,000 balloons were given away, accusing the West of coming up with the event "to smuggle in its culture."

Under the headline "Was it a balloon show or a mini-skirt show" author Qari Habib wrote on a Taliban website: "The West is using different techniques to promote their culture in Afghanistan. Sometimes they do it in an undercover way," Al Jazeera reported.

The Taliban suggested the West was trying to smuggle in its culture through balloons

"Some girls were without headscarves, with tight jeans and tops on, and even with mini-skirts on the streets. The boys were also dressed in Western-style outfits.

"After distributing some balloons, they wandered around Kabul aiming to break the culture of hijab."

The project that upset the Taliban was called 'We Believe In Balloons', and according to organising artist Yazmany Arboleda was designed to "inspire a sense of creativity and joy in a city subject to continuous conflict and oppression."

10,000 balloons were handed out

Volunteers went around the city handing out the bright pink balloons to surprised strangers, each balloon sponsored by someone around the world.

Habib said: ''The West wanted to smuggle in its culture," according to news agency AFP.

''It was obvious that the main goal was to break the culture of covering in women.

''The war on our religious values, modesty and hijab is ongoing under different names such as women skiing, wrestling, fashion shows and balloons.''